June 16, 2017

Alex Wood was dominant  in eight spectacular innings on Friday night, improving to 7-0, as the Dodgers defeated the Reds 3-1 at Great American Ball Park.

Wood gave up just one right on four hits, while striking out five batters during an efficient 89-pitch performance.

Wood is the first Dodgers’ pitcher to get so deep into a season without a loss since 1985, when Orel Hershiser made his first 11 starts without a loss.  He has been using a fastball, breaking ball, and change up to get hitters out.

“That’s always the way I’ve pitched,” Wood said. “I like to try to attack. But all three pitches have been as sharp together as they’ve ever been.”

The Reds only run came on a solo homer from Devin Mesoraco in the 8th inning, ending Wood’s shutout bid.

Kenley Jansen came in for the 9th inning to record his 14th save, despite giving up a double.

Joc Pederson hit a solo homer off of Tim Adleman (4-3), who took the loss.  That gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.  Adeleman gave up two runs in six innings of work.

Chris Taylor had an RBI double, and Wood added a run-scoring single in the 8th, as the Dodgers won for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Justin Turner also singled twice, extending his hit streak to twelve games.

Game 2 of the series will be Saturday afternoon at Great American Park.  Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-6; 4.42 ERA) will be on the mound for LA.  Asher Wojciechowski (1-0, 5.21 ERA) gets the ball for the Reds.

June 15, 2017

Rich Hill got trashed for seven runs on eight hits in only four innings of work, and the Indians roughed up the Dodgers 12-5 on Thursday afternoon at Progressive Field.

Hill fell to 3-3 after making an exhausting 105 pitches, in what was a career-worst performance.  The Dodgers fell behind 4-0 by the 2nd inning.  The Indians got a pair of run-scoring singles in the 1st from Jose Ramirez and Bradley Zimmer, as well as a bases-loaded walk.  Ramirez added an RBI double in the 2nd, while Edwin Encarnacion hit a solo shot.

The Dodgers rallied behind home runs by Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor.  Yasiel Puig would add an RBI double as well.  However, 5-4 was as close as they would get.

Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a pinch-hit three-run homer in the 5th off of Ross Stripling, which opened up a four-run lead.

Josh Tomlin (4-8) got the win for the Tribe, but struggled after the early 5-0 lead.

Chisenhall added a two-run single in the sixth, making him just the third Cleveland player since 1913 to come off the bench and record five RBIs or more.

Stripling gave up four runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.

The Dodgers head over to Cincinnati on Friday to open a three-game series with the Reds.  Alex Wood (6-0; 2.01 ERA) puts his undefeated record in the line for the Dodgers.  Tim Adleman (4-2, 4.34 ERA) gets the ball for the Cincy.

June 14, 2017

Kike Hernandez hit a solo homer during a four-run 8th inning, as the Dodgers got by the Indians 6-4 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

Hernandez was pinch-hitting for Chase Utley, and drove a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall off of Andrew Miller (3-2), who took the loss.  That gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead.

The Dodgers would add three more runs in the inning on an RBI groundout from Yasmani Grandal, followed by a 2-run single from Chris Taylor.

The Indians would come up with a pair of runs in the 8th inning against Luis Avilan.  Michael Brantley  had an RBI double, and Edwin Encarnacion singled home Brantley to pull the Tribe to within 6-4.

However, Kenley Jansen came in for the 9th inning to slam the door and record his 13th save.  Josh Fields (3-0) got credit for the win, despite allowing Jose Ramirez’s game-tying homer in the 7th.

Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy was charged with one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Corey Kluber started for the Indians, giving up four hits and struck out 10 in seven innings but allowed two runs in the second.

In that second inning, the Dodgers got a walk, a double, two infield hits, then a double steal that allowed Taylor to steal home.

Yasiel Puig was in the lineup after appealing his one-game suspension by Major League Baseball for making an obscene gesture to Indians fans on Tuesday night.

Rich Hill (3-2, 3.77 ERA) will try and help the Dodgers complete the sweep on Thursday.  Josh Tomlin (3-8, 5.73 ERA) will go for the Tribe.

June 13, 2017

Cody Bellinger hit a pair of home runs and Clayton Kershaw pitched seven strong innings as the Dodgers topped the Indians 7-5 on Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

Bellinger’s 2nd homer of the game was a three-run shot in the 9th inning, and came off of Andrew Miller (3-1), who took the loss.  It also came with Justin Turner and Corey Seager aboard, and was the 17th homer of the season for the LA rookie.  That put LA up 7-2, and gave them much needed insurance.

Kershaw (9-2) got the win after giving up two runs on six hits in his seven innings of work.  The Dodger ace struck out four, walked two, and departed after 101 pitches.

The only runs the Indians scored off Kershaw came from an RBI single from Michael Brantley, and a solo homer from Roberto Perez.

Yasiel Puig delivered a 2-run bomb in the 2nd inning with Chris Taylor aboard, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.  Puig directed a pair of obscene gestures at a fan in a dugout suite as he crossed home plate following his homer.

Bellinger’s first homer of the night was a solo shot that gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the 8th inning.

After Pedro Baez pitched a scoreless 8th inning, Chris Hatcher gave up a 3-run homer in the 9th to Daniel Robertson.  However, Kenley Jansen came in to record the final out of the game.

Kershaw has not lost in his last eight starts.   He is 5-0 with a 1.94 ERA since his most recent defeat on May 1.

Trevor Bauer allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings.  He was removed in the 6th with the bases loaded.

Game 2 of the series will be on Wednesday evening.  Brandon McCarthy (5-3, 3.28 ERA) will be on the hill for LA.  Corey Kluber (5-2, 4.38 ERA) gets the call for the Tribe.